1). Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cleaning of semiconductor processing chambers and auxiliary equipment such as interconnecting pipes and, more specifically, to an apparatus and a method wherein an ion plasma is generated externally of a semiconductor processing chamber and the ion plasma is then introduced into the semiconductor processing for cleaning purposes.
2). Discussion of Related Art
Semiconductor chips are manufactured by processing a wafer in respective semiconductor processing chambers. Such processing may include chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), or any other processing which is known in the art. The processing chamber used for each process is designed for purposes of carrying out the respective process. Chemical vapor deposition, for example, includes the process of distributing a chemical gas within a processing chamber to produce a film on a wafer substrate. The deposition film is also deposited on the surfaces of other components within the processing chamber. Byproducts that are produced during the film deposition process are also deposited on the various components within the chamber, including the chamber walls. As a result, the deposition films and byproducts deposited onto the various processing chamber components must be clean out from time to time.